


Without Acclaim

by vampiric_mcd



Category: Harry Potter - Rowling
Genre: F/M, Future Fic, Loyalty, Romance, True Love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-04-20
Updated: 2010-04-20
Packaged: 2017-10-09 01:34:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/81555
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vampiric_mcd/pseuds/vampiric_mcd
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Yet she remained a true friend, who acted in his best interests without seeking acknowledgement for any of it. Who made his life more than tolerable and gave him back hope – only to try and fade quietly. She had made a tiny mistake, and Draco had caught it – exposing her. And in light of her friendship – of her sacrifices – he was left breathless and so very humbled. Her actions were merely a reflection of her true value – a priceless worthiness that also opened his eyes to something more between the two of you than merely friendship.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Without Acclaim

It came as a sudden shock. Unexpected and almost impossible to grasp. He hadn’t ever expected this to happen to him – he surely had no right to receive such treatment – especially from her. Yet she remained a true friend, who acted in his best interests without seeking acknowledgement for any of it. Who made his life more than tolerable and gave him back hope – only to try and fade quietly. She had made a tiny mistake, and Draco had caught it – exposing her.

 

And in light of her friendship – of her sacrifices – he was left breathless and so very humbled. Her actions were merely a reflection of her true value – a priceless worthiness that also opened his eyes to something more between the two of you than merely friendship. And he supposed that for the rest of eternity, he would have to call himself a blind fool for not seeing it sooner – for causing her such grief and knowing that he would not be able to make up for any of it quite sufficiently. And she would most assuredly forgive him yet again.

  
Millicent looked up as he knocked on the door of her study. She seemed startled since no house elf had announced him and then blushed slightly, but nodded at him – which he took as an incentive to enter the room. She remained seated, though it must have been hard for her. There was no reason to pretend she didn’t know why he as here. Her solicitor would have contacted her the moment the Malfoys found out.

  
He walked towards her and sat down on the seat beside hers. She met his gaze straight on, and not for the first time he wondered how he’d been so blind all these years. He wanted someone to love, someone that loved him. He needed someone equal and strong, someone smart and Slytherin enough to understand that it was an almost Huffelpuffian loyalty he desired to receive and to give. And all this time, she’d been right beside him, his best female friend to the bitter end.

  
Millicent, who was neither perfect or all-knowing, nor was she the most beautiful or the most pure-blooded in his social circle. Yet she was the only one that wanted to know him for him. The only one to desire him for him and not his legacy or his family’s coffers. The only one that had sacrificed nearly everything to keep him out of Azkaban, to keep his mother out of Azkaban. The only one to plead for his father and get him paroled, though severely limited in his actions. It was more then Draco had hoped for. It was a feat Draco could not believe she had pulled off. And she’d been perfectly willing to keep it all for herself, and would never have spoken a word about it.

“Thank you.” He spoke sincerely, taking in every breathe she took and every movement she made.

He reached for her hand and she let him take it. He brushed his lips across her knuckled and smiled as she did. She frowned however.

  
“Draco, I-”

  
“I know.” He spoke softly. “I know.”

  
She withdrew her hand and he felt that loss deeply. Now that he could finally see what a treasure was in front of him, he wasn’t about to let it fall to pieces over anxieties Millicent might have.

  
“I didn’t do it to win your or anyone’s gratitude. In fact, you weren’t ever supposed to find out.”

  
“I know you didn’t. And all it did was make me see what I’ve been so stupid not to see all this time.”

  
He cupped her chin and raised her face to meet her gaze.

  
“I love you, and I’m a fool to only realise it now. I thought I wanted impossible things, only to see reason, to see I’ve had it all along.”

Tears brimmed in her eyes, but they didn’t fall.

  
“How do I know you’re not doing this out some misplaced sense of duty or gratitude. This is why I never wanted you to know.” She whispered. “I’d rather not have this, whatever it may be, then to have to think…” She stopped herself from speaking.

He stood and drew her upright. She closed her eyes for a moment, but then looked at him. Brave, brave girl. In so many ways almost not Slytherin enough, yet by being herself in such a way, she was living up to their House’s code so purely. Perhaps more purely then any of the others, both past and present for a long time now.

“I think you know what *this* is.” He spoke firmly. “I think you’ve known it for so long, that you’re afraid to finally have it come true.” He pulled her against him in a liquid pull. He brought his arms to her waist and held her securely.

“You complete me.” He spoke. She smiled softly. “Forgive me for- ”

She placed a finger on his lips, silencing him. This touch, so freely given, thrilled him. She let the pad of her finger trail down his chin and neck. She cupped his face. Their eyes met and Millicent smiled. She leaned forward and brushed her lips against his. Draco deepened the kiss after a while, completely immersing himself in his future wife. Not that she knew that particular titbit yet. He’d enjoy informing her of it though. In the right and proper way – through courtship, love and a veritable war for her very essence.

 

She deserved nothing less.

 

 


End file.
